A plan to protect the Weddell Sea fails to pass

In the fall of 2018, representatives of 24 countries and the European Union met in Hobart, Australia. They were there to make a big decision about the Weddell Sea in Antarctica. The Weddell is the world’s coldest ocean. It is home to penguins, seals, whales, and krill, along with other animals. At the meeting, there was a proposal to turn the Weddell into a huge reserve. This would protect the sea and its wildlife from fishing and other commercial activities. But the proposal didn’t pass. Russia, China, and Norway blocked it. Conservationists are worried about the Weddell’s future.